Mulvey was never athletic or into working out -- until she turned 30 and realized she needed to do something to transform her life. She says she was in a lot of pain, she felt bad about her body and wanted to get in shape. She had a career in tech support for Apple.

"I was feeling very sorry for myself, like why does everything hurt, and why is the universe so unfair?" she says. "Then, it was an epiphany: I'm the only one who is going to make my body feel better. No one is going to come in and do this for me."

On a whim, she tried a Callanetics class, and she loved it.

"I'd remembered Callanetics from when I was young when my mom had the VHS tape, and had gotten in shape after she gave birth to my baby sister, Jessica," Mulvey says.

She decided to set a goal to do 100 Callantetics classes. (In each class, you do 100 reps, so the number seemed fitting, she says.)

"The pain I had learned to live with improved, so did my posture, and I felt and looked great," she says. "It just felt good to be in my body."

Advertisement

After she reached her goal in 2009, she decided to get certified to teach. She is now the only certified Callanetics teacher in the Boulder area. The closest other classes are in Parker.

She is now also a pole-dancing instructor and is getting certified in Pilates.

What is the workout? You may remember Callanetics from the '80s. Over the years, it has tapered off, but a few instructors remain -- and continue to swear by their method.

Instructor Stacey Mulvey, left, Tabitha Farrar, center, and Vivienne Palmer work out during a Callanetics workout class at A Place to Be Studio in Boulder.
(
JEREMY PAPASSO
)

Callanetics is kind of a cross between Pilates, yoga and ballet-influenced toning. It puts the body into specific positions to isolate muscle groups, gets those muscles into a deep contraction and the layers pulses over the contractions. Think of it as mild isotonic exercises using repetitive contractions and a small range of motion, done slowly, with a strong emphasis on alignment and with no impact.

It is known as "meditation in motion" because you can't lose your focus and maintain the positions. It is non-linear and multi-dimensional.

"Because you are insolating the muscles so deeply, those pulses recruit more muscle fibers, so they tone remarkably fast," Mulvey says.

After 10 classes, many people notice up to a two-pants-size loss, she says. The website says some people can see a difference in as little as two classes.

Callanetics' claim to fame is Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow both practice it.

What's different: The class immediately reminded me of Bar Method or other ballet barre-inspired classes -- except it had no barre, was much slower and had no music (the only sound was trickling water). But it employed the same principles: that tiny, deep, repetitive movements can yield big results.

The meditative-style music gave this class a yoga atmosphere, but with a very different flow than yoga. In this class, you pulse to get deeper.

Unlike Pilates, in Callanetics, you send your energy and awareness to one isolated part of the body, and there is less of an emphasis on how that part of the body interacts with the rest.

One thing that struck me as unique in this class is there are no levels (unless you have an injury or unique condition). Everyone does the same exercises, from day one. The specific moves vary based on the focus and who is in class.

"You just do it," Mulvey says. "You do the hardest level you can."

You might need to take a break at the beginning, and the moves get harder the better you get at them (because you learn how to access your muscles on ever deeper levels).

What does it cost? $20 per class. Check her website for specials.

When: 2:30-3:30 Wednesdays and by appointment.

Level: This is one of the rare classes that I think is appropriate for all levels of fitness. You don't need a dance, yoga or exercise background. In fact, Callan Pinckney, founder, invented Callanetics to help heal her chronically injured back.

Callanetics is good for the elderly, people recovering from injury, people who think they are uncoordinated and athletes. It is challenging in a different way -- focused movements; deep, tiny muscles. But because the class is slow and not jarring, you can get through a tough workout without breaking a sweat.

On a 10-point difficulty scale, I'd rate this class a six or seven. It is easier than Bar Method but more challenging than many yoga classes.

What to prepare: Comfortable clothes you can move in. No shoes. Socks optional. It's best to wear something form-fitting so you can see your body and form. Bring a mat (or two) and a bottle of water (pre-filled, unless you don't mind using the sink in the bathroom). Yoga mats are provided, if you need one. Class does not use any other equipment.

Muscles worked: Full body, but by targeting specific areas. Callanetics emphasizes proper alignment and targets postural muscles. You will also feel it in your core. It is designed to tone you from the inside out, and aims to improve balance, coordination and body awareness.

Working the deep muscles "strengthens the muscles so much more quickly," Mulvey says. "Those are the muscles that keep you injury-free."

This class is not cardio intensive.

The website claims that one hour of Callanetics has the tightening and lifting value of 20 hours of aerobics. I don't know if that's true (but then I don't know how to measure it).

I found this class also mentally challenging. There was no choreography, but it's hard to maintain the focus and control to do tiny pulses.

What I loved: I fully recommend this class to anyone -- literally, anyone. I am a giant believer (through experience) in targeted, isometric, deep muscle toning with no impact. I feel certain a class like this would be effective. Usually, I hate claims like "you'll see a difference in two classes," but in this case, I think it's not a claim; I think it's a reality. This is smart exercise. I truly can't figure out why it lost its popularity, other than blaming leotards, sweatbands and legwarmers.

I also enjoyed how much we stretched our necks.

What I didn't like: I would bring two mats to class, because one wasn't enough padding for my hips and knees with the wood floor underneath. Maybe some thick legwarmers would help?

How I felt after the class: I was sore in the weirdest, tiny, little nooks of my glutes. I also felt slightly sore in my triceps, which confused me because I don't remember "working" them.

-- Reported by Aimee Heckel.

Know of any interesting workouts? Tell us about them so we can check them out: heckela@dailycamera.com or 303-473-1359.

Local duo joining overseas exhibition excursionFilippo Swartz went to Italy, where his mother was born and he spent the first year or so of his life, every summer until he had to stick around to be a part of summer football activities for the Longmont High School team. Full Story

MacIntyre says the completed project will be best in Pac-12There were bulldozers, hard hats, mud, concrete trucks, blueprints, mud, cranes, lots of noise and, uh, mud, during the last recruiting cycle when Colorado football coach Mike MacIntyre brought recruits to campus. Full Story

Most people don't play guitar like Grayson Erhard does. That's because most people can't play guitar like he does. The guitarist for Fort Collins' Aspen Hourglass often uses a difficult two-hands-on-the-fretboard technique that Eddie Van Halen first popularized but which players such as Erhard have developed beyond pop-rock vulgarity.
Full Story